I made Ina Garten's homemade chicken stock and realized sometimes store-bought really isn't fine

"I made Ina Garten's homemade chicken stock for the first time. I used it in her ravioli en brodo and chicken pot pie soups, and the broth blew me away. Now I'll never be able to use store-bought stock again. When I was at the beginning of my cooking journey, forced into the kitchen at the start of lockdown in 2020, no voice was more soothing than Ina Garten saying that "store-bought is fine!""

"With her foolproof and accessible recipes, the "Barefoot Contessa" star was the perfect idol for a novice chef. Garten never made me feel bad about using shortcuts as my skills slowly progressed, even endorsing store-bought mashed potatoes or frozen pie crust during the holidays. But as winter descended on Los Angeles this year, I constantly gravitated toward delicious soups. And after making a few with store-bought stock, I finally decided to try Garten's homemade version. Now, I'll never go back."

First-time homemade chicken stock transformed the flavor of ravioli en brodo and chicken pot pie soups, producing a broth far superior to store-bought. The cooking journey began during lockdown 2020 when shortcuts and packaged ingredients felt acceptable for a novice. Reliance on convenience continued until a cold Los Angeles winter prompted repeated soup-making. After several attempts with commercial stock, the switch to homemade stock revealed markedly deeper, more satisfying flavor. The superior results convinced a permanent shift away from store-bought stock, changing future soup and braising preparations.

Read at Business Insider